There is no easy way out

It's easy to put off difficult tasks. You can tell yourself that you'll do them tomorrow, next week, or the minute you get around to it.

But if there is no guarantee of when they will be done, why not just do them now?

After recently reading Scott Allan's book, "Do the hard things first" I realised how much procrastination affects each one of us in some way.

Scott Allan argues in this book that there is no easy way out and shares some tips on how to win over procrastination and master the habit of doing difficult work.

Doing the hard things first is probably one of the most effective and sustainable forms of motivation out there.

The reason it works so well is that you're doing what needs to be done, even if it's difficult or uncomfortable. You might as well jump in with both feet rather than trying not to fall on your face while taking baby steps towards a goal.

Avoiding discomfort can become such an ingrained habit that people don't realise they are avoiding their problems instead of solving them.

When I was growing up, my parents would give me chores around our house and sometimes those were fun—such as washing the car or mowing the lawns—and other times they weren't—like cleaning out the rabbit hutches and scrubbing the bathrooms.

I knew why we were doing the work and it didn't feel like a burden to take care of those chores because they made up such an important part of everyday life.

This habit can be helpful for both yourself and the people around you if you are trying to build your career.

There's no doubt that when we are solving problems instead of avoiding them, we will be making progress towards achieving our goals at any point during the day.

There is no easy way out, It's hard not only because it requires being uncomfortable but also because sometimes these tasks don't have a clear deadline.

If you're going to make life-changing progress, doing the work is necessary but not sufficient condition for success. You also need a system in place that helps you get things done and avoid decision paralysis.

Thanks for reading and I hope this short post about how to win over procrastination and master the habit of doing difficult work has been helpful!

I will be posting a new blog soon with further tips on how to deal with procrastination.

—Gary

📚 What I'm reading right now

After reading Do the Hard Things First by Scott Allan and loving it, I decided to try another book of his, Undefeated—which turned out to be just as inspiring!

Do you feel stuck or defeated? When you begin working towards a goal, do you give up halfway through? If so, this book can help.

The book offers simple but practical steps to live life undefeated until you reach your goals. It's easy to read and full of excellent ideas that will help you overcome any obstacles standing between you and a creative, fulfilling, and exciting lifestyle filled with inspiration.

It's perfect for those who are having trouble getting what they want out of life right now.

Hopefully, if you read it you'll also find inspiration.